Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-05-19

and manners wore an exquisite ex-
preston of timidity. gentleness and
good will. On certain happily-delin-
Gated features the eye dwells with
pleasure, and his was one of these.
You experienced an invineible attrac-
ton towards the little old man, and
his serene countenance could not fail
to provoke endearment. He was
dressed in black, and carried walk
ing-stick.
Bowling, as he entered the room, q
broad tonsurc revealed that he was a
priest.
Dupuytren's eye fixed itself upon
him, sullen and frozen.
Whats your case?" asked he, stern
ly.
Doctor" softly began the priest,
81 must ask of You to let me st down:
my poor old legs are getting rather
weak. Two years ago a swelling came
in my neck. The medical officer of the
village, near Nemours, where am set
tied, told me that the abscess was of
no account and would soon be gone:
but it got worse, and five months later
burst of itself. kept to my bed long
while without finding relief. The fact
is that was obliged to get up now and
then, as l have to perform unassisted
the parochial duties of four villages,
and"-
"Show me your neck. -
Its not" continued the old man,
as he hurried to obey the doctors be-
hest, ''that these good people are un-
willing to meet elsewhere to hear mass;
but, you see. they have Il hard time of
it during the whole week and only
Gods day to rest upon; so thought it
unfair that the whole village should be
put to inconvenience on my account.
Then, again, we have confirmation and
catechism. The Bishop hesitated to
send a curate to help me. So, doctor,
my parishioners all said that l must
come up to Paris and consult you.
was a long while before made up my
mind; travelling costs a great deal of
money, and there are SO many poor
people in my commune; but finally l
was obliged to do their bidding, and SO
took the conveyance. There is my
sore, DOCTOR" added he, rendering his
neck.
Dupuytren was long time in his ex-
animation of the affected part. The
sick mans neck had in it hole nearly
one inch in diameter and of great
depth. 1t was an anthrax of the lower
maXillary gland, complicated with
aneurism of the carotid artery. The
wound showed symptoms of gangrene
in more than one spot, and the case
was altogether of SO grave n descrip-
ton that Dupuytren wondered how the
sick man could be standing upright be-
fore him.
He stretched wide open the lips of
the sore and scrutinized it inside with
pressure painful enough to superin-
duce fainting. The patient did not
even vince. The examination con-
Guided, Dupuytren roughly jerked
round the old mans head which he
held in his hands, and, peering him full
in the face. burst out tiendishly:
"Ah! ali! Mister Able, with sore
like that-you must die!'
At this. the priest quietly took up
his linen and bandaged his neck with
out uttering word. Dupuytrcn kept
his eye on him as tiger might on a
lamb. When the aged priest had
dressed his wound, he drew from his
pocket a large silver tive-franc piece,
carefully wrapped up in a bit of paper,
and laid it on the mantle shelf.
Il am not rich, and my poor are
very poor, DOCTOR" said he, with an
ineffable smile; 'eXcuse me if l can
not more adequately repay consulta-
Zion OF DIR. Dupuytren. l am glad l
came to see roy; at least, l shall be
prepared for what awaits me. Per-
haps," he added. in an eXtre mely soft
tone of voice, "you might have an
nounced this great fact with little
more caution. l am seventy-five years
old, and at that age life is sometimes
dearly cherished. But l owe YOU no
ill-will, nor have You surprised me; l
have looked forward to that event.
Farwell, doctor, l am going to die at
my presbytery."
And he went out
Dupuytren stood pensive. That iron
soul, that powerful genius had been
shattered Ike frail glass at the sound
of Il few simple words from a poor old
man whom he had held feeble and suf-
fering in his strong hands, and thought
he might play with. In that weak and
distressed body he had met with will
more energetic and heart firmer than
his own; he had found being supe-
rior to himself
Suddenly, Dupuytren started to-
wards the door. He was perhaps I'M
willing as yet to acknowledge himself
beaten. The little priest was slowly
descending the staircase.
Mister Able" he called out; evil
you step up moment?'
The priest fastened to obey.
There is perhaps means of saving